Dobruja-Danube Delta

Dobruja is a historical region situated between the lower Danube River and the Black Sea. It is the one of the most not only Romania’s but also entire continent’s interesting areas. In antiquity the Getae and Scythians lived here. The Greeks founded colonies on the Black Sea coast: Histria, Tomis and Callatis. The ruins of Histria, the oldest Greek colony, are an important archaeological site and tourist attraction. Tomis, the biggest and most vigorous city of the Roman period, is now covered by Constanta town, Romania’s principal sea port.

Dobruja region was ruled first by the Romans; then came the Byzantines, and later, the Bulgarians. In the 14th century it became a little, independent state ruled by “Dobrotici” (whence its name probably comes). It was incorporated into Wallachia province, but after a short time, Dobruja was invaded by the Turks. They dominated the region for the next four and a half centuries, until 1878, when it became part of Romania. At that time Dobruja had a mixed population with Muslim Turks and Tatars being more numerous than Romanians. The Romanians colonized and developed the territory (until then it had been neglected by the Ottoman Empire). Dobrujea’s colonists included Romanians from southern Transylvania, farmers and cattlemen, and Macedo-Romanians from the Balkan Peninsula. Constanta town, the centre of Dobruja region, became a modern city and one of Europe’s most important sea ports.

Dobruja still contains a great ethnic diversity: Romanians, Bulgarians, Turks, Tatars, Russians - a rich mixture of languages, religions and ways of life.